Alaska Native Professional Association

06/03/2026

Join ANPA for our community hike on Saturday, June 13, at 12 p.m. at Powerline Pass. Whether you're looking to get active, meet new people or simply enjoy the trail, all are welcome! 🥾

05/20/2026

Huge congratulations to ANPA Board Member and Brilliant Media Strategies CEO Krysten Demientieff, along with the teams at Brilliant Media Strategies and the UAA: University of Alaska Anchorage, on receiving a Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

This national recognition highlights excellence in strategic communications and reflects the innovation, collaboration and dedication behind a campaign that made a meaningful impact across Alaska. We are proud to see Alaska Native leadership recognized on a national stage and celebrate this outstanding achievement alongside Krysten and her colleagues!

On Thursday, May 14, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Anvil Awards recognized Brilliant Media Strategies and the UAA: University of Alaska Anchorage for their outstanding recruitment marketing campaign designed to boost enrollment and engagement across Alaska. (It worked - and won a national top award!)

Brilliant CEO Krysten Demientieff was in person at the New York City event to receive the award.

Congratulations to the UAA/Brilliant team members who worked on this project! We love working with great people to get great results.

05/12/2026

Brew, bond and build community with ANPA next Thursday! Join us at Refuge Coffee for our monthly Brew & Bond as we connect Alaska Native professionals and strengthen relationships for a brighter tomorrow.

📍 Refuge Coffee | 3309 Spenard Rd
📅Thursday, May 21
⏰5:30–6:30 p.m.

Bring a friend and come say hi!

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible mothers in our community. 💐

In Indigenous communities, today is also about honoring our aunties, grandmothers and all those who stepped up to nurture, guide and help build a healthy community and future for the next generations.

In these photos are our board members with their children, mothers and the many maternal figures who have shaped their lives. Thank you for your strength, care and leadership. We celebrate you today and every day!

05/01/2026

Big congratulations to all our graduates! 🎓

Your hard work and dedication have paid off, and we are proud to celebrate this milestone with you. As you step into what’s next, keep building connections, growing as leaders and supporting your communities. Your journeys matter, and the relationships you create today will help shape a stronger future for all. Wishing you success and happiness in all that comes next!

Pictured is board member Peri Sanders with her mother. Sanders earned a Master of Arts in Indigenous Studies from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2022 and is now pursuing a doctorate through the UAF College of Indigenous Studies, focusing on Indigenous leadership.

04/17/2026

Last night, ANPA’s Brew & Bond at King Street Brewing Company created space to connect, share and build community together. From meaningful connections to the exchange of industry insights, the evening was marked by thoughtful conversations on balancing professional ambitions with family life, while also celebrating both personal milestones and career growth.

Rooted in ANPA’s mission to strengthen Alaska Native leadership, gatherings like this create meaningful space to learn from one another and grow together. We hope you’ll join us at the next Brew & Bond!

📍 Refuge Coffee Collaboration
📆 Thursday, May 21 / 5:30–6:30 p.m.

04/16/2026

Student athletes from across Alaska are coming together for the NYO Games Alaska, a tradition that blends competition, culture and community in one place. Rooted in skills that were once part of everyday life, these events carry forward lessons of strength, respect and resilience. Today’s athletes compete, but they also support one another, continuing a tradition where helping others matters just as much as doing your best.

ANPA would like to wish all the athletes good luck in the games. We are proud to support you as you represent your communities and carry these traditions forward.

Watch the games live at the Alaska Airlines Center on the UAA: University of Alaska Anchorage campus, April 16-18, 2026.

Check out the full schedule of events here: https://loom.ly/L6zNGZg

04/13/2026

Shondiin Mayo, ANPA board member, recently participated in the 10th Annual Anchorage Chamber Young Professionals Group Summit.

The event brought together emerging leaders to focus on intentional growth, meaningful connection and leadership development. One key insight: growth does not require leaving your current path, it requires intention. From conversations to sessions like “Personality as Strategy: Networking with Purpose,” the summit emphasized authenticity, curiosity and building relationships that last. Experiences like this continue to shape how we lead, connect and grow within our communities.

Learn more: www.ypganchorage.com

04/08/2026

We are proud to celebrate ANPA leadership whose work is featured in the UAA: University of Alaska Anchorage Juried Student Art Show at the UAA Kimura Gallery.

ANPA Board Member Jessi Walker’s “Slightly Distorted Self,” a graphite work, examines identity and self-perception. Walker, who is Gwich’in and Koyukon Athabascan, is a current UAA art major working toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Also featured is ANPA Board Chair Crystal Kowalke’s “Undesirable Discovery,” which explores mental pain, vulnerability and the impact of social isolation encouraging viewers to recognize and understand personal struggles as part of the healing process. Kowalke, who is Inupiaq and South Korean, is a graduate student in UAA’s College of Arts pursuing a Master of Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in art, philosophy, psychology and project management.

If you are in Anchorage, feel free to visit the gallery and experience their work in person!

04/07/2026

Good drinks, great people. 🙌🏾

Join us at ANPA Brew & Bond, a laid-back monthly meetup centered on connection, conversation and community. Rooted in ANPA's mission to build relationships and strengthen Alaska Native leadership, this is a space to gather, share, and grow together. All are welcome!

📍King Street Brewing Company, Second Floor
📅Thursday, April 16
⏰5:30-6:30 PM

Come connect, build community and be part of something bigger.